That representation of an owl you see above was created by adding hydrogen atoms to certain areas of the graphene, transforming it into a graphane superlattice, which is more conductive and suitable for use with organic chemistry where graphene is not.

The researchers discovered a way to strip out those hydrogen atoms and replace them with more carbon, creating an even more functional superlattice — one that could be used for a new generation of microscopic circuitry. The technique allows both spatial and density control, which opens up a raft of possibilities. Similar to microcircuitry, it would be possible to paint circuitboards of sorts on a single sheet of graphene, creating nanoscale electronics, electrical circuits, and chemical sensors. Imagine a blood glucose meter so thin it could be implanted, or a digital camera as thick as a credit card.